The NFL has long been the top dog when it comes to broadcast viewership among major sports, and this year is no different. The 2025 season has kicked off with a historic surge in viewership. According to reports, TV audiences were up 20% in September.
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On average, that comes out to about 17.6 million viewers per game, an 8% jump from last season. It’s an incredible figure, with the NFL now owning 44 of the top 45 shows currently on television. Networks are even scrambling to feature the league’s most popular teams on their channels.
Who are the most popular teams in demand? The typical mainstream squads like the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers. Those teams have all been featured in the top 5 of the highest-viewed games this season.
Green Bay vs. Dallas in Week 4, which marked Micah Parsons’ return to AT&T Stadium, drew 26.9 million viewers. San Francisco vs. Tampa Bay in Week 6 saw the same number.
Meanwhile, matchups like Detroit vs. Kansas City and Dallas vs. Philadelphia attracted 27.4 million and 28.3 million viewers, respectively. But the biggest draw was the Super Bowl rematch, with 33.8 million people tuning in to watch the Chiefs take on the Eagles in Week 2.
So, what’s up with this sudden surge in viewership for the NFL? It feels like every Super Bowl has topped its record for the past 5 years. But why is this?
Well, according to an award-winning TV anchor, it’s because Nielsen is using new metrics to measure viewership. On top of that, US population has grown exponentially in recent years.
“Nielsen is using new metrics to measure audiences this year. And while audiences are split more than ever before, the U.S. population has grown by approximately 23 million,” Ben Becker wrote on his X under Joe Pompliano’s report.
Nielsen is using new metrics to measure audiences this year. And while audiences are split more than ever before, the U.S. population has grown by approximately 23 million
— Ben Becker (@BenBeckerANjax) October 23, 2025
Furthermore, it’s not just the return of the NFL that has driven up viewership around the US. College football has also played a major role. From August to September, sports viewership tripled, showing that the combination of college football and the NFL has once again gotten Americans parked in front of their TVs.
All in all, it goes to show how powerful and popular the NFL and college football are as a tandem. It’s by far the most popular sport in the US and has become ingrained in the country’s fabric. Every Sunday, millions of people get excited to watch 7 hours of football, followed by a Sunday Night game to wrap up the day. It’s a tried and true ritual, and according to the numbers, it’s not going to die out anytime soon.
